It consists of a large sitting room, with built-in sofas that could be pulled out as beds, a small dressing room, and a bathroom. Many of the furnishings were antiques that had been personally selected by Mrs. Disney. An alcove contained a small sink and a refrigerator. At one time the fire pole from the fire department extended on up into the apartment, but it was blocked off after someone climbed the pole into the apartment. The apartment has been maintained up to the present, and is occasionally used by Disney executives.

Size: 600-square-foot

The outer door of the fire department were closed when the apartment was occupied

I recently interviewed a cast member who works inside the Haunted Mansion. She talked about the belief, among Disney employees, that the place is inhabited by more than the Disney-created 999 haunts.
She said female employees talk about ghosts that untie the ribbons in the cast members' hair.

When visiting Disney, many families head straight for the E-ticket rides, from Space Mountain to the Matterhorn to Dumbo. But in doing so they not only spend a whole lot of time in long lines, but they miss out on so many magical moments and memories that can be made at the "happiest place on

After half a century, those mad teacups are still spinning, the baby elephants are still flying, the hippos' ears are still wiggling and the cash registers are still jingling.
Disneyland, a place both timeless and frozen in time, hits a milestone this summer when it turns 50 in Anaheim,

In honor of Disneyland's 50th anniversary, we present 50 cool, obscure and simply odd things you probably didn't know about the self-proclaimed Happiest Place on Earth. Many were culled from Mouse Tales by David Koenig (Bonaventure, $19.95). Some were provided by Disney archivist Dave Smith, and

In 1955, something spectacular happened: Disneyland opened in Anaheim, Calif., forever changing the face of amusement parks in America. Given its long and storied history, of course, it's to be expected that over the years, rumors that ghosts allegedly haunt Disneyland, as well as Walt Disney World

Where in Disneyland was Walt's private apartment? Did he have a favorite horse on King Arthur Carrousel? Is there really a basketball court in the Matterhorn?
For the ultimate scoop on Walt's life and his thinking behind the creation of Disneyland, nothing beats the Walk in Walt's Footsteps

Imagine growing up in a family surrounded by cartoon characters, a miniature steam train, Academy Awards and theme parks.
Diane Disney Miller did. Her dad was Walt Disney.
"He was always fun to be with him to walk around with him was fun," Miller said.
While their father was a

It happens every time we set our eyes on the iconic visage of Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle: Swelling up inside us is a fierce urge to plunge through the crowd and make a mad dash toward Space Mountain.
At least that's the way it goes when we have children in tow. A parent's gut says

It's hard to deny that magical feeling when leaving the real world behind and entering the gates of Disneyland. No matter how many trips have been made to this wonderful amusement park, part of the magic of the "Happiest Place on Earth" is that millions of people have been visiting for more than

You have to look quickly, and you have to know exactly where to look. But if you do, you'll catch a pretty cool inside joke at Disneyland.
On the Star Tours ride, just before your runaway Starspeeder exits the space station, keep your eye on the lower right side of the screen: You flash past

We were halfway through the six-hour flight from Newark to the John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, CA when I began to question our decision to haul our two kids, ages 8 and 16 months, clear across country to visit Disneyland.
True, it's a shorter flight to Orlando, but my son shared our "been

TV show named "Gunsmoke" made its debut, and another named "Make Room for Daddy" won two Emmys. Elvis Presley and Pat Boone had young hearts all shook up, and for the first time, they could listen to those crooners and others on a new gadget called a pocket transistor radio. A new car cost $1,900,

It happens every time we set our eyes on the iconic visage of Disneyland's Sleeping Beauty Castle: Swelling up inside us is a fierce urge to plunge through the crowd and make a mad dash toward Space Mountain.
At least that's the way it goes when we have children in tow. A parent's gut says

A wonderland of delights such as the World may never have seen before is rising out of the orange groves in this sunny suburb of Los Angeles.
It is Disneyland, a 17 million dollar paradise for children. When the gates are opened on July 19, customers will see an amusement built on the scale of

Although Disney had a dislike for the typical carnivals of the time, it wasn't so much the content, but the environment and the lack of attention to detail. Long before the park was built, after one of his frequent visits to Griffith Park with his daughters, he stated, "Things could be done better

Disneyland, the idea, came from the mind of Walt Disney, but Disneyland, the theme park, was a collaborative effort. It took a great many men and women to create it. Since all men are created equal, everyone who contributed should be credited. I've known about C.V. Wood for many years, and

How to build an Amusement Park in 3 Easy Lessons
When we last left our Imagineers, a final location had been chosen, funding had been arranged, and crews were assembled that would begin by retaining trees and vegetation that could be utilized in the design, and the vegetation that would have

Did you know that although Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is largely considered the first color animated feature length film by most, when in fact it isn't ?
It's true.
Because of Walt Disney's reputation and his ambitious efforts in both film, television and finally amusement parks,

"Hotter than hell" is how Art Linkletter, the emcee and Walt Disney's longtime friend, remembers it. "The asphalt had just been rolled and people's shoes got stuck in it. But we carried on. We didn't worry about stuff like that."
Fifty years is a long time, but those who were there when

Here's a provocative and mind-bending question for you lifelong SoCalers out there, as well as those people who visited a certain Anaheim destination when they were children: When you think of Disneyland, or even go to Disneyland now, do you still see the park as it was on your first visit?

Disneyland, an oasis of niceness in a cynical world wracked by terrorism, war and scandal, celebrates its 50th anniversary on May 5.
And what a birthday party it promises to be: 18 months of "the Happiest Homecoming on Earth", starring every Disney character you know, from Mickey Mouse to

Designers and construction crews at Disneyland are completing a project that Walt Disney himself started more than 40 years ago -- a private living suite tucked into the theme park.
The Walt Disney Co. announced the project Monday, saying theme park guests will be able to win an overnight

Every morning and every evening since it opened in 1955, Disneyland has raised and lowered the Stars and Stripes at the flagpole on Main Street USA, per American flag etiquette. But that wasn't enough for the Happiest Place On Earth; in 2005, the park began hosting the Flag Retreat, a daily

Think you're too cynical, sophisticated, debauched or underfunded to visit the Happiest Place on Earth? This one's for you.
I am of Disneyland. My love for Walt Disney's 54-year-old theme park can move (space!) mountains. In fact, my love for Disneyland is so perfect and so complete that I

Disneyland's opening day, July 17, 1955, was a nightmare.
ides broke down. Restaurants ran out of food and drink, and a plumbers' strike meant drinking fountains were in short supply. Long lines formed at bathrooms. Bunting hid unfinished attractions. Women's high-heeled shoes sank into the

The parks' CEO will need a little magic to preserve what Walt Disney created while ushering in necessary growth and change. It's a challenge he relishes. 'It truly is the greatest job in the world. A lot of people may say that, but I truly can say that.'
Michael Colglazier treats the immense

Here's the deal with Disneyland. The two women ahead of me in line were Elizabeth and Lexi, twins fromWinnetka, Ill. Elizabeth is a communications and political science major at the University of Southern California. Lexi is a philosophy major atYale.
They knew the words to ''We Can Fly,'' a

I never thought I would get a chance to work at Disneyland. This was my life's' goal - to be a Cast Member.
Growing up in the Southern California desert, we were close enough to get to visit Disneyland at least once a year. The 2-hour drive seemed to never end until I or my siblings could

Since 1955, Disneyland has entertained guests of all ages with a mixture of rides, attractions and performances... but some of the most fun aspects of the park aren't necessarily well-known or easily seen by everyone (unless you're an avid visitor, hardcore fanatic, or trivia buff.)
There are

Many of us have to do the obligatory family-touristy thing when we travel.
But don't despair: There's even star power at Disneyland if you know where to look.
First, Walt Disney slept there -- setting Disneyland apart from any other Disney park in the world. A light is still kept on in

A couple weeks ago I traveled down to Los Angeles for a very unusual press day for Disney Animation Studio's new film The Princess and the Frog. Disney is really hoping to promote the return to hand drawn animation with an old school Disney look and feel, and took a group of online journalists on a

For many years, Disneyland which celebrated its 56th anniversary this past July 17 was a place we thought we might never see. Since 1972, we were "regulars" at Walt Disney World, yet Disneyland was as far away in distance as it was in our travel plans.
We finally broke down and made it to

Disneyland is one of America's most popular tourist destinations. Here are five facts about the California theme park.
1 The lights in Walt Disney's apartment that served as his office are always on, in memory of his unstoppable work ethic.
2 There's at least one hidden Mickey Mouse on

You know, being a ghost stuck at Disneyland doesn't sound all that bad. It's better than haunting some family in Texas, right?
Like any place with a rich history, Disneyland's got its fair share of urban legends and myths surrounding it--take the cryogenically frozen head of Unky Walt for an

It was sweltering that day. And crowded. People swarmed to the entrance to Disneyland even if they didn't have tickets, that's how eager they were to get inside.
"Hotter than hell" is how Art Linkletter, the emcee and Walt Disney's longtime friend, remembers the opening day of Disneyland July

Some of us are just born Disneyland fanatics.
It's hard to dislike the classic theme park of course, but if you're a superfan, as I'd consider myself, there are a few places within the park that you're aware are very difficult to gain access to - some nearly impossible, in fact. These are

Disneyland was Walt Disney's baby, a dream he nurtured for years which eventually turned into a flat-out obsession ... an obsession that had as many skeptics as it had bank creditors demanding that Disney make good on all the loans he needed to make his pie-in-the-sky come true.
Tomorrow, The

If I could live anywhere, I would live in The Haunted Mansion, like all year long," director Guillermo del Toro said last year at Comic-Con while discussing his upcoming film featuring Disneyland's iconic haunted house. And he's not alone.
Hollywood is full of filmmakers and talent who are

When Walt Disney was deciding where to build Disneyland, he turned to the Stanford Research Institute in 1953 for help.
His requirements were few: It had to be in Southern California and on flat land, away from the beach.
The institute team, headed by Harrison Price, spent several months

Disneyland really started more than 20 years ago, when Walt got the idea for an amusement park that grownups as well as children would enjoy.
"I had all my drawing things laid out at home, and I'd work on plans for the park, as a hobby, at night."
At the time, amusement parks were dying all

Disneyland was built on a dream. And it was Walt Disney's dream that has made millions of wishes come true during the past 50 years.
Hundreds of millions of wishes, really. And also special moments - first dates and honeymoons, birthdays and anniversaries, and fun days spent with kids and later

Say the word "Disneyland" to any child and you're sure to get a smile.
KSL got an inside look at some of the new attractions at one of the world's famous amusement parks.
If Minnie Mouse doesn't get you moving, then maybe Pluto, or Goofy, or Donald Duck or Mickey himself will get you

There are images of Disneyland that everyone has: a snow-covered Matterhorn, colorful parades traveling down Main Street, spectacular fireworks exploding overhead on warm summer nights, and classic characters such as Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck greeting youngsters from around the world.
But

Walt Disney says he will not open branch replicas of Disneyland despite offers from a dozen foreign nations and uncounted requests from this country.
Some organizations have gone so far as to offer complete financing, but Walt has turned them all down.
PERSONAL PROJECT
"Disneyland is

At Disneyland's 50th anniversary celebration in July, Newport Beach resident Michael Geoghegan was one of the first people inside the gate.
He wasn't there to enjoy himself but to capture the sounds and secrets of the Magic Kingdom's special event for Disney fans.
Geoghegan treated his

Marty Sklar, the legendary Disney Imagineer who not only closely worked with Walt Disney for years, but also had a vital hand in shaping Disney theme parks as we know them, has died. He was 83 years old. The creative was an icon in the Disney community, known for having never missed an opening of

After Disneyland closes for the night, the security officer stands alone under the Main Street flagpole getting ready to go home. He looks up at the light still burning in the apartment window above the firehouse, and tips his hat.
"Goodnight, Mr. Disney," Ernie Napper says to himself. "The

It's the theme park that started it all, but no matter how many times you've visited Disneyland, there are some things you probably don't know about the Magic Kingdom.
As the park comes up on its 60th anniversary this year, San Diego 6's John Carroll traveled to Anaheim to reveal some of

Hardcore Disneyland aficionados already know about the secret apartment above the fire station on Main Street USA where Walt Disney and his family used to hide out, an interview with Walt's daughter Diane Disney Miller, who reveals some of the secrets about the pad, which is still not open to the

Some people preserve family memories in scrapbooks and dresser drawers, filling them with vintage photographs of mom and dad, mementos of wartime service, souvenirs of that first trip to Disneyland.
Diane Disney Miller has all that, too -- and she's planning a museum to share it with us.

It was the '60s, a decade of change. And just like society, Disneyland would change too - in dramatic fashion.
1960
Just like previous years, Walt Disney was constantly tinkering with Disneyland as the decade started. The first year of the decade, he added more scenes to the Rainbow Ridge

Disneyland Park has revamped its "Walk in Walt's Footsteps" tour with new attractions and a new price.
The new tour is called "Walk in Walt's Disneyland Footsteps" and it began on Sunday, according to park employees. The Disney Parks blog announced the change in August without providing

Have you ever wondered why you get that warm and fuzzy feelings just as you walk into Disneyland? We caught up with Katie, a Disneyland VIP tour guide who says the magic is hidden in the details.
You can find them all over the park.
It starts at the Candy Palace on Main Street, USA,

It is hard not to be impressed when your tour guide is so passionate about their subject matter that they break down in tears. This was not a scripted gesture. Rather this was the result of a deep seeded and sincere love for the subject matter. In this particular tour the subject was the one and

His secret apartment at Disneyland was his home away from home. Now the park is planning tours for selected guests.
One of the most momentous occasions of my childhood was the day I met Mickey's dad.
I must have been about 7 when my parents took me to Disneyland, the enormous, newfangled

Start with 300,000 lights
It's officially Christmastime at Disneyland, and along with the seasonal treats and must-have souvenirs, there are plenty of eye-popping decorations ready to be admired.
With garlands lining Main Street, trees outfitted with all the trimming, and festive cheer

The early 1980's were a very dramatic time for Disneyland. The company had recently survived the Saul Steinberg corporate raid event, and they had recently created the two new movie divisions that would allow Disney to produce R-rated movies and such to a non-Disney focused market. Michael Eisner